TEHRAN – “Parting”, a joint production of Iran and Afghanistan by Navid Mahmudi, won the Golden Gazelle Award for Best Feature Film at the 6th Persian International Film Festival in the Australian city of Sydney, the organizers announced on Sunday.

The film is about teenage lovers Nabi and Fereshteh who are separated by her family’s flight from Afghanistan. After years apart, Nabi decides to find Fereshteh and risk the hardship of flight and resettlement in Europe with a hope of a better life.

“Breath” by Narges Abyar received an honorable mention from a jury of the Australian cineastes Rebecca Barry, Ben Ferris, Jennifer Peedom and Rosemary Blight, and the Australia-based Iraqi actor and writer Osamah Sami.

“Save Me” by Mohsen Nabavi was named best short film, while “Not Yet” by Arian Vazirdaftari received an honorable mention.

The four-day festival reviewed New York-based Iranian filmmaker Amir Naderi’s movies “The Runner” and “Monte” in a special program.

In addition, a seminar was organized on the renowned Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami on the sidelines of the event.

The Persian International Film Festival was established in 2011 to promote films from Iranian cinema and the Persian-speaking world.

Photo: A scene from “Parting”

ABU/MMS/YAW